The legislation emerged from Assembly hearings co-chaired by Millman and Lopez late last year to examine
how changes in the administration of the SCRIE program have created unintended consequences for seniors in
New York City.

Silver noted that the legislation would also provide translation assistance to those with limited English
proficiency and additional help for individuals with limitations such as deafness, blindness, a speech
impediment, or a cognitive impairment (A.9213/Brook-Krasny).

"For low income seniors and individuals with disabilities living on fixed incomes, the SCRIE and
DRIE programs offer an extremely important benefit that protects them from being priced out of their
neighborhoods," said Silver. "Through the approval of this legislative package we will make
necessary improvements to the application process to maintain the programs' effectiveness and ensure
eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities can afford to remain in their homes and in their
communities."

"Transferring the SCRIE program to the New York City Department of Finance has created a situation
where applicants are currently waiting more than six months to receive any word on their
applications," said Millman. "Flaws in the new application process have prevented eligible
seniors and individuals with disabilities from receiving this important benefit and as a result have caused
undue financial hardships to many seniors. This legislative package includes provisions that will make
sure applications are processed in a timely fashion."

"It is unacceptable for those in need to be denied access to the SCRIE and DRIE programs because they
cannot understand the application or cannot readily speak with agency staff," said Lopez. "Today,
the Assembly Majority is taking a critical step to ensuring this important benefit is accessible to those
who need it most by offering assistance with the application and recertification process in local senior
centers, community board office, and community based non-for profits."

Included in the legislative package is a measure (A.9205) sponsored by Assemblywoman Millman, which would
require municipalities that have the SCRIE and DRIE programs to conduct outreach in the community to
ensure individuals who may be eligible are aware that they can apply for the benefit. The bill improves the
application process and makes it more user-friendly by requiring municipalities to implement procedures to
ensure the application is reviewed in a timely manner and by requiring a mechanism to be in place that
allows applicants to check the status of their applications.

Other important reforms included in the legislative package would direct municipalities that administer the
SCRIE and DRIE programs to:

implement a plan to make SCRIE and DRIE application forms more readily available and authorize
certain entities to assist in the completion of applications in community settings
(A.9204/Lopez); and

create a system to ensure that DRIE participants are seamlessly transitioned to the SCRIE program once
they are eligible for both SCRIE and DRIE (A.9223-A/ Simotas).